


Coming Together

by foxy11814



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Father-Son Relationship, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-07-15
Updated: 2015-05-27
Packaged: 2018-02-09 00:25:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,027
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1961958
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/foxy11814/pseuds/foxy11814
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hermes is feeling the pain of a lost son—Luke no longer accepts him as his father—and Percy is constantly fighting his feelings of loneliness and abandonment since Poseidon tends to ignore him, or so it seems. How will Poseidon react when he realizes his son and nephew are developing a closer bond with one another? (Set after "The Sea of Monsters")</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Author notes: This takes place after "The Sea of Monsters". This story will definitely have references to things in the book, but I might mix in a few things from the movies to suit my purposes, as well. We'll see. Anyway, this is my first PJO story, so please let me know what you think.
> 
> Also, a little warning (even though you can probably tell from the summary), I tend to write familial stories. I love dealing with the problems between family members and friends, and the strained relationship between Percy and Poseidon is exactly the kind of thing I love to tackle. I hope some of you will join me for the ride. :)

**Coming Together**

The darkness and loneliness of night had never bothered me as much as they do now. I stare up into the sky and see the stars that probably no normal mortal could see. Around camp, clouds have covered the sky and rain and lightning shoot to the ground below. I'm protected from those elements as long as I'm on Camp Half-Blood's grounds. I almost wish I wasn't...

I'm sitting alone on the banks of the Long Island Sound. Tyson left a few days earlier to spend the fall and winter with our father. He's supposedly going to intern at the Underwater Forges of the Cyclopes. I suppose he'll be too busy to spend too much time with Poseidon; after all, he'll be learning to make new weapons for the Olympians in a possible approaching war.

I sigh as I look across the calm water. My mind is raging and I want the water to do the same, but I stop myself from making it happen. I have no right to be jealous; I know that. Arguably, Tyson had a worse life than I had before our father claimed us. I should be grateful that Poseidon left me with a loving mother to take care of me.

I am grateful…but I wish I could have what Tyson has now. The ability to have a relationship with our father. It just isn't fair.

Sticking my hand in the water, I ask softly, "You can see him. You invited him underwater. Why can't you do the same for me?"

I already know the answer, but I felt the need to ask anyway. Selfishly, I want him to know how I feel.

Standing abruptly from the shore, I look across the water one more time before walking away. Before I leave, though, I say goodbye to Tyson and our father. In a few days, I'll be leaving Camp Half-Blood, too, and returning to live with my mother for the school year. I have to admit that I'm not looking forward to it. It'll be another year in a new school, trying to make new friends. I hate starting over.

=)=)=)

Walking into Cabin Three, I walk immediately to my hammock and crash down onto it. I don't bother looking over at Tyson's. All of his belongings are already gone. I look down at the watch he gave me. I run my fingers across it slowly as I realize I'm really going to miss him. Then, a slight feeling of annoyance surges through me. Why send Tyson here if he was only going to rip him out of my life a short time later? Kind of like what happened when I finally met Posideon…we spoke; he told me he'd stand by me always…and then nothing. No word, not even in my thoughts.

Flipping my shoes off my feet, I turn and face the outer wall of the room. As my face starts to wrinkle up from scorn, a voice startles me from the darkness. "Anger is a dangerous thing for a half-blood nowadays. Trust me, I know."

I shoot up from my hammock so fast that it almost twists around and dumps me in the floor. I know I should recognize the voice, but I don't because I'm trying to stay upright and stop my heart from jumping out of my throat. That inner guinea pig is definitely still with me…

My eyes search the cabin frantically, looking for the intruder, and it isn't until I see Caduceus appearing slowly that I know who it is. "Hermes?" I question, slightly surprised.

"Who else?" he asks when I can finally see all of him.

We both know there are a million other possible answers to that question, so I don't bother to answer it. Instead, I slip over to the edge of the hammock and set my feet on the floor. "Why are you here?"

Carefully, Hermes turns around and sits beside me on the hammock. I look at the hooks that are keeping us off the ground and sigh thankfully when I see they are able to hold the added weight. "Truthfully, I don't know."

When I arch an eyebrow questioningly, he explains. "Things are…different now. Luke is angry at me and I know he has every right to be." He clears his throat and then continues, "I visited Cabin Eleven earlier and left gifts for my children and the unclaimed; I couldn't let them see me, of course. You know the rules, but I am allowed to see you. I just felt like …I don't know."

I understand completely. I place a hand on his shoulder and whisper, "You felt like talking to someone who might understand."

Hermes smiles softly and nods. "Yes, I do believe you understand more than anyone else right now what Luke is going through. I just…wish there was a way to make things right again. I can't give up on him, Percy."

I smile as I hear Hermes' words. At the god's obvious display of emotion for his son, hope and sadness fill me simultaneously. Even though I think it is almost impossible, I can't help but hope right along with Hermes that he'll find a way to fix his estranged relationship with Luke. Also, I feel kind of sad, because I wish Poseidon felt the same way about me. I wish Hermes' words were his. The only words my father had for me recently were to "brace myself" for Thalia's arrival. That's it-just two words. Even the message _I_ had for Luke from Hermes in a time of chaos was much more personal…Despite the hatred Luke has for his father, Hermes still wants to find a way to reach him. I'm sitting here waiting for some kind of sign from Poseidon; I'm ready to receive it and I _don't_ hate him, but I don't even hear his voice on a sea breeze or in my thoughts anymore. I'd give anything for him to try like Hermes does.

Before I even know what I'm doing, I lean against Hermes. He places his palm on the back of my head and gives it a small shake as I've seen fathers do with their sons after winning a baseball or football game. Tears fill my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall.

=)=)=)

_So, I left it off here to see if anyone is interested in following this story! Let me know, please! Reviews are highly appreciated because they are so motivational, LOL!_


	2. Chapter 2

Coming Together Chapter Two

The following morning, camp is alive with the hustle and bustle of campers getting ready to leave for the Fall. Some are already toting their luggage out of their assigned cabins, while others waited to the last minute to do anything. Now, they're throwing things around and you can see them through windows stuffing clothes and other items into duffle bags frantically. Some will leave today; most will leave by the end of the week, per Mr. D's demand. The only ones who will stay are the camp's counselors, teachers, and the year-rounders.

Normally, at this time in the past, I have mixed feelings about packing up to leave. Part of me usually wants to stay so I can continue to train and hang out with Annabeth and Grover, but another part of me wants to leave so I can finally see Mom again and actually spend some time with her. After all, she's the only parent that I _can_ see without Zeus threatening the entire planet…

I shake my head slowly to try to rid myself of those thoughts. I know if I continue to walk down that particular road, I'll be depressed by the time Mom arrives, and well, that's not the kind of welcome she deserves from her only son and the one she has given up so much for.

Determined to follow my normal routine, I walk to the Mess Hall and stand in line to get my breakfast. I put various foods on my plate, including fruits, eggs, and toast. It's only when I sit down that I realize I've gotten too much. Recently, I've gotten in the habit of doubling up on my portions, so Tyson can have my leftovers. He can eat his entire plate and half of mine within minutes…but he's not here anymore.

"Hungry?" Annabeth asks with a smirk.

I suspect she knows why I got so much food and where my thoughts are now, so she's trying to get a rise out of me so I won't be too sad about it. Giving her what she wants, I cut my eyes at her and say, "Maybe. Got a problem with that?"

"Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!" Grover cries waving his hands back and forth in front of him. "We won't be seeing each other for a while. We can all play nice until you get back to camp next summer and I get back from my search for Pan."

I smile at Grover and nod my head slightly in agreement. I pick up a piece of toast and tear at the crust as Annabeth replies, "Well, who knows? I might actually get to see Percy. I'll be living in New York this year, after all."

I wish, but I don't say that out loud. Instead, I say, "You'll be at an all-girls school in Manhattan. New York is a big city; it's possible we might not see each other at all." In fact, that's very likely. I sigh as I look back down at my food and an uncomfortable silence develops across the table. Soon, Annabeth interrupts it.

"Percy, what's wrong?" She sounds concerned.

I look up and ask as nonchalantly as I can, "Who says something's wrong?"

"I know you," she states firmly. "You always get quiet when you have something on your mind. Did you have another bad dream? Are Luke and Kronos up to something again?"

I immediately shake my head; I don't want to alarm them. "No, no! I haven't been having any dreams!"

"Then, what is it?"

I shrug. "I just miss Tyson, I guess. And, I…" I trail off as I contemplate whether I should tell them anything more.

"And?" Annabeth questions. She hunches her shoulders and moves her neck around a little, showing her impatience.

Immediately, I lean back as far as I can on the bench and respond, "I don't know. It just feels weird to be going home now for some reason. I can't put my finger on why, though."

Grover simply nods like he understands whereas Annabeth squints her eyes at me. Her scrutiny always unsettles me because I feel like a bug under a huge magnifying glass, but I force myself to ignore her. I turn back to my plate and finish eating. Afterward, I excuse myself back to my cabin, so I can finish packing.

=)=)=)

When I step into Cabin Three, I find that most of my belongings are already packed, but instead of them being in duffle bags, they are in boxes. "What the—"

Before I can finish my question, Hermes steps out from behind a pillar and says, "I thought I'd help out. You were far behind everyone in Cabin Eleven."

George, one of the snakes on Hermes' Caduceus, cries out to his companion, "I told you it would surprise him!"

"Well, that's not necessarily a good thing!" Martha snaps back.

Not wanting to seem ungrateful to Hermes or to allow a fight to erupt between the two snakes, I say, "Uh, thanks. I really appreciate that." I then walk over to a chair in the middle of the room and sit down.

Without invitation, Hermes follows me and sits down in a chair across from me. Like yesterday, he's dressed in a modern-tailored charcoal suit. If it wasn't for his staff, you'd never guess he was really an Olympian God. You would think he was a businessman, and he was that, as well. He ran UPS. But my thoughts quickly leave Hermes' physical appearance and I contemplate why he's here again. This is the _third_ time Hermes has visited me at camp and the last two times have been within less than a twenty-four hour period. I'm not sure what's going on, but surely there is something. "So," I say, smiling as I try to broach the topic carefully, "what brings you back to my cabin so soon?"

Hermes smiles softly and says, "I was watching everyone's reactions." Before I can question what he means, he clarifies, "Remember, I dropped off gifts in Cabin Eleven last night."

"Oh, yeah," I say, nodding my head. "How did it go?"

"Well," he answers. "Some had better gifts than others, but not all of them are my children. At least everyone got something."

"Yeah," I agree, rubbing my neck, feeling slightly uncomfortable.

"Which reminds me!" Leaning forward, Hermes pulls out a small square, wooden box from his coat pocket and hands it to me.

I immediately take it and ask, "What's this?"

"What do you think? A gift." He seems so enthusiastic that I can't help but smile.

"Who's it from?" My mind races as I try to figure it out before he tells me. Is it from Mom? No, she'll see me tomorrow, so why would she send anything? Then, I decide it can only be one person: Dad! My smile widens into a grin until I notice that Hermes seems very nervous.

Leaning back in his seat, he's now the one rubbing the back of his neck. "Uh, well, you see, Percy…uh, it's from me."

I'm so surprised that I don't censure my reaction. I ask, "From _you_?"

He nods once and explains, "When I told you last night about the gifts I had for Cabin Eleven, I realized I wanted to give you something, too. It's, uh, not a big deal. You used to be a member of my cabin, after all, and I never got to give you anything before you moved out. And, it's not like Poseidon is raining gifts from the rooftop. Besides, you did try to help me with Luke…so I thought it was warranted."

I close my hand tightly around the box and then hold it out to him. "You don't owe me anything. I wanted to help you reconcile with Luke. I still do."

Hermes didn't take the box. He replies simply, "I know. It's not a 'thank you' gift. I _want_ you to have it, so please, keep it."

I know it's not wise to argue with a god, especially when he wants to give you a gift, so I bring the box back to my lap and open it. Inside, nestled in a cushion with a singular cut across the middle is a UPS pin, one that you usually see placed on the collars of the employees' work shirts. "Uh, thanks," I say, taking the pin out of the box.

Hermes smirks, almost as if he knows this isn't anywhere near what I had expected. He laughs a little and then announces, "That's not an ordinary pin, Percy. It's very special. No matter where you are, if you want to send me a message, you can do it with that pin. Just place your finger on it and call out to me. I'll hear you. No drachmas will be necessary or stopping by a UPS Store." After a moment, he added, "You can call on me at any time, for any reason, even if you simply want to talk."

I close my fingers around the pin and hold it tightly. I suddenly find myself so overwhelmed by the gift that I have to breathe deeply a couple of times to speak. "Thank you," I whisper finally.

He nods and smiles before he stands. He walks to my side and slaps me lightly on the back. "I'm glad you like it," he says. He then looks down at the watch he has on his wrist and announces, "Well, I have to get going. Shipping slows down when I'm not there; the workers tend to slack off."

I grin, knowing he spoke the truth, but before I can say anything, Hermes disappears.

With no packing left to do, I decide I'll go back out and help either Annabeth or Grover finish theirs. That decision, however, is quickly forgotten when I step outside. The smell of seawater is strong and I can hear, even from this distance, the crashing waves from the Long Island Sound.

Uh, oh, Dad's upset about something…

=)=)=)

_Please let me know what you think!_


	3. Chapter 3

Coming Together Chapter 3

Something is definitely wrong and everyone in camp knows it.

As I step down from the steps of my cabin, I turn towards the shore and look up into the sky. No thunder clouds are in sight. The skies are calm even in the areas surrounding the camp, so why are the seas suddenly raging? That only gives more credence to my original thought: Dad is upset about something.

I begin to walk in the direction of the water when I hear a few people calling my name frantically. I turn around and see Annabeth, Grover, and Thalia running towards me. Once they reach me, Annabeth rests her hand on my arm lightly and asks, "Percy, what's going on?"

I look back in the direction of the water and shrug. "I wish I knew. I think Dad's mad about something."

I walk away from them and the group follows me. Thalia rushes to my side and questions, "What makes you say that?"

I pause in my stride and raise an eyebrow at her. "Isn't it obvious? No storms are in the sky and yet the waters are unstable. It can only be Poseidon."

"Not necessarily," Thalia mumbles, but I ignore her. I _know_ this is my dad.

When we reach the edge of the camp and stand on the shore—which is a lot farther inland than normal—my eyes widen in surprise. I've _never_ seen the waves so high or the waters so choppy here. What's going on?

Hurriedly, I stick my hand in the water, thinking that will give me a stronger connection to him if he's busy, and ask internally, " _Dad, what's going on? Are you all right?"_

I'm not really expecting him to answer me, so I'm not surprised when he doesn't. After almost a minute, though, the shoreline recedes to its normal location and the waters calm.

"What did you do?" Thalia asks, following me as I walk down to the beach.

When the others stand beside me, as well, I answer, "I didn't do anything. I asked Dad if he was okay."

"Hmm," was Thalia's only reply. Before I could question her response, I notice Chiron running to the shores.

"Percy!" he calls out as if he were searching for me frantically. "Percy!"

I wave my hands at him and yell, "Chiron, over here!" When he finally reaches us, I put both of my hands up defensively and say, "I didn't do it! I just came over here to see what was wrong, I swear!"

Chiron studies me carefully for a few seconds before he nods, showing that he believes me. "Well, something must have happened," he insists. "Tell me your part in this."

I immediately tell him what happened as soon as I walked outside of my cabin. When I tell him about sticking my hand in the water and questioning Dad if he were okay, he raises his eyebrows in interest. When I finally finish my story, he lets out a sigh. I can tell he is relieved. Quickly, I questioned, "Did you figure out something that I haven't?"

He nods a little and says, "Poseidon was upset about something, and he must have been unaware that he was projecting those feelings to the seas. Momentary lapses like that are common with the gods from time to time. When you questioned him if he were okay, he must have realized what he was doing and forced himself to calm down."

All at once, I have different feelings bombarding me at the news: first, I feel worried. What could have possibly upset my dad so much that he would forget himself and what he was doing? There were too many frightening possibilities to guess with any kind of accuracy. But then at the same time, I also felt happy. While Poseidon was raging, I had been able to contact him, which means he does listen to me! I had wondered about that a lot since discovering who I really am. Of course, that doesn't mean he's listening _every_ time, but the realization is enough to bring a smile to my face.

"What are you grinning about?" Thalia asks, interrupting my thoughts. Her brow is raised disbelievingly as she folds her arms across her chest.

Sometimes I don't know what to think about the daughter of Zeus. I like her overall. We get along fine most times, but then there are other times when she absolutely gets on my nerves. I suppose it's similar to the way Poseidon and Zeus get along, so I really shouldn't be surprised. Not wanting to fight with her right now, I simply answer her. "I'm just glad I was able to help and calm things down. It looked like everyone in camp was worried."

Chiron nods and remarks, "It is not wise to ignore the moods of the gods." The centaur then turns to address everyone in camp. "All right, everyone, get back to packing! Everything is fine!"

The campers start moving again and going about their business. My eyes drift to Thalia, but she doesn't look at me. She simply marches away while Grover and Annabeth stay with me.

"Well, are you going to finish packing, Perce?" Grover asks after a few seconds of simply standing there.

I smile and reply, "I'm already finished."

Annabeth and Grover widen their eyes. They must be remembering how I procrastinated so terribly last year. "You are?" they questioned simultaneously.

I simply nod with a grin. I don't tell them that Hermes helped me out, because Annabeth comments, "You must really be looking forward to going home, then."

I shake my head. "It's not that, really." I turn around to face the water and say back to them, "I'll be around in a few minutes to help you guys finish packing. I just want to talk to Dad a little more."

When I turn my head to see their reactions, I notice that they're both nodding and backing up. "Okay," Annabeth agrees and puts an arm around Grover. "Come on," she says to him.

Once I'm alone, I sit on the edge of the water in my usual spot and pull a few blades of grass from the ground, so I can toy with it while talking. I look down at what my hands are doing and say, "I don't know what just happened, Dad, but I want you to know you can talk to me about it, if you want. I mean, I know you're not allowed to see me, but would Zeus really know if you spoke to me like you do when I'm in trouble?" I pause for a moment and wait for an answer. When one doesn't come, I frown and continue, "I'm going home tomorrow to see Mom. I'm sort of glad. At least I won't be by myself in the cabin anymore since Tyson's gone." I immediately cringe as I realize what I said and what it could imply for Poseidon since he's the reason I'm in this situation. Regardless, I let the words remain. I don't explain them away. Instead, I stand and say as I'm dusting off the dirt from the back of my pants, "Well, if you change your mind about talking, you know how to reach me."

I stuff my hands in my pockets as I walk away. I feel Riptide in one hand almost immediately, but then I notice that there's something in my other pocket. I barely remember putting it there, but I know what it is: Hermes' pin. Well, if Dad doesn't want to tell me what happened, maybe Hermes knows…

=)=)=)


	4. Chapter 4

Coming Together Chapter 4

The urge to call on Hermes right away is strong as I leave the shore, but I fight against the impulse and go to Cabin Six. I don't use the pin right away, because Hermes left me not even ten minutes ago and I don't want to be too much of a hassle while he's busy. He did imply, after all, that he was going to work to make sure his employees were keeping busy.

So, I stand outside Athena's cabin and wait for someone to come outside after I knocked on a nearby post to get someone's attention. When someone finally does arrive, it's not Annabeth—it's a girl I don't know. She eyes me and asks somewhat rudely, "What do you want?"

Immediately, I feel awkward. I should have known to offer my assistance to Grover first. After all, the Satyrs don't mind allowing me into their cabin. A few of Athena's kids, on the other hand, are a little more hostile towards me since my dad and their mom duel from time to time. "Uh, I want to speak with Annabeth."

The girl turns her head around and peers into the cabin. She then quickly looks back at me and says, "She's busy packing."

"Yeah, I know. I thought she might need some help."

Her response is one I should have expected: she arches an eyebrow and almost sneers at me. "If she needs anything, _we_ can help her. She is our sister, after all."

Rolling my eyes, I mumble, "Of course. How could I forget?"

Without wasting any more time or causing any trouble, I leave. It's just not worth it to get in a fight with any of Athena's children, since I do get along with some of them aside from Annabeth, but I also know that if they had to choose a side, most of them would choose their sibling, not that I would blame them.

So, I go to the Satyr cabin and try to help Grover figure out what he might need during his search for Pan.

=)=)=)

Hours later, I return to my cabin and pull Riptide and Hermes' pin from my pockets. I set them on my desk in the middle of the room and glance at my wardrobe, located on the far wall to my left. Luckily, Hermes had been thoughtful enough while packing earlier to leave something out for me to sleep in, as well as clean clothes for tomorrow's trip back to the city. Sighing a little in thanks, I go to the clothes and grab a camp T-shirt and a pair of pajama bottoms.

Before I change, though, I decide if I'm going to call on Hermes, I need to do it now—I wasn't sure if it would be disrespectful to call him while I'm in my nightclothes. Grabbing the pin slowly off my desk, I hold it in my hand, close my eyes—even though I'm not sure I have to do that—and call out, "Hermes?" After a brief pause, I ask, "Uh, can we talk?"

In a matter of seconds, I hear a voice answer, "Of course." Then, Hermes appears and he is wearing what I assume would be his night attire. He's wearing a long tunic that goes to his knees, but it's secured to his waist with a robe-like white belt around the middle. It's decorated with a mere golden-lined design around the cloth's edges—very Olympian and yet understated.

Feeling suddenly awkward at his appearance, I stutter for a moment before I manage to get out, "Did I, uh, wake you?"

Hermes looks down at his apparel and then grins at me. It almost seems like he forgot what he was wearing. He waves his hand dismissively and says, "No, but I was getting ready for bed. I figured since it's night here, too, you wouldn't mind my appearance."

"I don't," I agree. I move to my hammock and sit down as I stare up at the god to study him. He's smiling and waiting patiently for me to begin our discussion. It suddenly hits me that Hermes seems _glad_ that I've called on him. It's an eerie feeling and realization since I never get that response from my dad, but I shove that thought aside.

"I, umm, called you, because I thought you might know something about what happened today."

I don't know if it's rude to jump right to the point like that without making any small talk, but it is late, so hem-hauling around might not be the appropriate thing to do, either.

Hermes wrinkles his brow in confusion for a moment and questions, "What exactly happened?"

I tell him the story as he pulls a chair out from my desk and moves it in front of me. When he sits down, he comments, "That does explain his earlier reaction."

"His earlier reaction?" I repeat. I raise my hands questioningly, move my shoulders up, and hold them there to show him that I have no idea what he's referring to.

Hermes shrugs and explains, "Your father was a little…unpleasant when I visited Olympus earlier today. He was talking to Zeus and I had a package to deliver. As soon as I showed up, he excused himself, saying he had to go home, but when he passed me, he called me a thief and warned me not to take anything that belongs to him. It was a little out-of-the-blue, actually."

I widen my eyes a little at the news. I know my dad gets into arguments and conflicts with the gods from time to time, but this is the first time a god has spoken to me of his temper. "Why did he call you that?" I question.

Hermes laughs a little and asks in amusement, "You do remember who I am, right?"

Suddenly, it hits me what he means. Not only is Hermes the protector of messengers, athletes, and poets, among other things, he is also the patron of thieves! Long ago his son, a half-blood named Autolycus, was famously known as the Prince of Thieves!

Without much thought, I ask curiously, "Did any of your kids steal from Poseidon?"

Hermes looks thoughtful for a moment and then shrugs. "I have no idea. There hasn't been a recent incident, I assure you. Usually, Poseidon and I get along well for the most part, so he was probably just in a bad mood. You know how it is: wrong place, wrong time."

I frown disappointedly and remark, "Then, that means you have no idea what upset him earlier."

"I'm afraid not," he agrees as he turns his attention to the direction of the shoreline. "But it seems that things are calm now. I'm sure he's okay. He always is."

I nod, still feeling a little disappointed, but I know that isn't Hermes' fault. So, to change topics, I ask, "How are things with you, then?"

"Same as they were before," he replied immediately with a slight frown.

That can only mean one thing. "Still no luck with Luke, huh?"

He nods slowly and mumbles, "He's still ignoring me. I don't know if he even hears me anymore."

I hear the pain in Hermes' voice and I immediately sympathize, "I know what you mean. Sometimes when I talk to Dad, I don't know if he's listening. It would be nice if I could get a sign once in a while. You know, just to know he's there or that he cares, even if it's just a little."

"Exactly," Hermes agrees, but then he shakes himself. "But it's different with you. I'm sure your father hears you. He's just forbidden…" He trails off.

I fold my arms in front of me stubbornly and say, "Well, that's not stopping you right now with Luke, is it?"

Hermes shakes his head sadly and counters, "But it did. That's why I'm in this predicament now. I have a feeling if I had shown Luke just a little bit more attention, he wouldn't have turned his back on us. He would still be in Cabin Eleven right now and probably one of your closest friends."

I remember that Luke was one of the first people to welcome me to camp. He took me under his wing and showed me the ropes when no one else would. I never got the opportunity to say thank you, and I know I probably never will. "I'm sorry," I whisper. I move towards him and suddenly Hermes is out of his seat.

I don't know how it happens, but we end up hugging and it all feels cathartic in a way. I get to hear from a god what it's like to not talk to a son and know of its horrible results, while he gets to hear from a son's perspective the pain of not knowing a parent. It's a perspective I think we both need to hear from time to time.

Pulling back, I look down at the floor, slightly embarrassed, and say, "Uh, thank you for coming and talking with me. I know it wasn't a lot of fun…" I slap my hands to my side to show that I don't know what else to say.

When I finally glance up at Hermes, though, I find him smiling. "I'm glad you're calling on me." He paused and then admitted, "If I can't help Luke right now, at least I can help you."

I nod at him a little as Hermes backs up into the center of the room. He looks a little emotional and if I didn't know any better, I would say he was about to cry. Before I can address the matter, he states quickly, "Uh, I'm going to go back home if everything's okay here, now. Is it?"

I don't say anything. I merely nod understandingly.

He smiles even though it seems a little sad. "Okay, uh, see you around, then. Bye, Percy."

He then disappears immediately, but I whisper "bye" anyway. I'm still clutching Hermes' pin, so I have a feeling he can still hear me, so I also add, "And, again, thank you."

=)=)=)


	5. Chapter 5

Coming Together Chapter 5

I can't go to sleep. I want to, but I can't—too many thoughts are rushing around in my mind, so it's hard to block any of it out.

I hold both Riptide and Hermes' pin in my hands. I'm not using either one right now; I'm simply staring at them. One is from my dad to help me win in battle, while the other one is a way for me to contact Hermes directly. I like both gifts, but in a way, they make me sad. I wonder how I would feel if the gifts had been reversed and Hermes had given me a magical sword and Dad had given me a way to contact him…

I know that's what is keeping me up. Hermes…he's being much more of a—

I don't finish the thought even as it occurs to me. I know what's going on here; truly, I do. Hermes misses Luke, so he's finding a way to cope with it through me; whereas, I'm missing my dad, so I'm finding the attention I crave through Hermes. I may be young, but I understand where our heads are right now. Why those realizations have made me so restless, I have no idea. I suppose it might be a combination of those things and everything else that's going on in my life right now: Grover is going on a dangerous mission to find Pan without me. Annabeth is moving to Manhattan and I might not get to see her. Mom is coming to pick me up tomorrow and I don't know if I'm ready to transition back into city life just yet. And, of course, I'm still wondering what upset Dad earlier. The possibilities have me worried.

I'm trying to put all of that out of mind, so I can be ready for my road trip with Mom tomorrow. I want to be able to give her my undivided attention and not seem too much like a restless zombie. I remember someone once telling me that counting imaginary sheep works. Let's put that theory to the test. One, two, three…one hundred and fifty six...

_I sit in my living room at home and stare at the turned off television set. For a reason unknown to me at that moment, I have no desire to turn it on. I know *something* is coming that will keep me entertained soon enough. I'm simply waiting for Mom to leave._

_As soon as that thought enters my mind, Mom walks into the room. She's dressed in a hunter green sweater, a dark pair of blue jeans, and a pair of black sneakers. She looks so young and vibrant—it's amazing how much has changed for her since getting rid of Gabe. I know she's a lot happier now because of that. And, I know this happiness and youthfulness isn't because she has a reprieve from dealing with me all year, right?_

_Mom walks over and kisses me on the cheek. "I'll be home around 10:00. My class ends at 8:45 and I might stop to get something to eat. There is dinner for you in the fridge to heat up if you want something."_

_I nod and smile at her. "Thanks, Mom," I say as she pulls away and then picks up her backpack from the door. It's so weird for my mom to be going back to school, but I'm glad she's going. She's always wanted to write a novel and she's taking some creative writing classes to help her reach that goal. I know that's another thing that's making her happier than I've ever seen her in my lifetime…_

" _Bye, honey!" Mom calls out one last time before she opens the door and leaves._

_I'm not sure how long I sit on the couch. It feels like both hours and minutes. Eventually, though, I get tired of waiting and reach into my pocket. I pull out Hermes' pin. I don't know why I keep putting it there instead of wearing it like anyone else would. It's almost like I'm hiding it. But, I don't think about that right now. Instead, I press the pin tightly between my fingers and close my eyes. Just when I'm about to call out, I feel someone tug on the pin and remove it from my hand._

" _You don't need that," a voice says at that same moment._

_I open my eyes and instantly my mouth literally drops open._

" _Dad!" I cry, jumping off the couch. "What are you doing here?"_

_He smiles and replies, "What do you think? I'm here to see you."_

_I'm so happy to hear his response that I almost don't realize how bizarre that answer is, but eventually I do. Looking around cautiously, I ask, "How is this possible? Won't Zeus find out?"_

_Poseidon shakes his head as his smile fades and assures me, "He won't find out. I promise."_

_Afraid that I might talk Dad into leaving, I don't question how he knows that. Instead, I rush into his arms and hug him. When I feel Poseidon tighten his arms around me, I'm startled to feel my eyes burning and my throat closing up on me. "Oh, no!" I think to myself. "Don't start bawling, not now while he's here!"_

_Immediately, Dad pulls away and tries to look down at my face, but I stare down at the floor. It would be too embarrassing to look at him right now. Unfortunately, I don't have a choice in the matter. I suddenly feel Dad's index finger under my chin and he's pushing it upward so he can look at me. When my eyes meet his, he whispers, "There's nothing wrong with showing a little emotion, son. I know things have been rough for you, and the fact that I'm always missing doesn't help matters at all…but I'm here now."_

" _Yes. Yes, you are," I agree._

_After a moment, Dad pulls away and leads me back to the couch. When we both sit, I notice that Dad's holding up my UPS pin and scrutinizing it intently. When I see the frown on his face, I move to take it back, but he quickly holds it out of reach._

" _What is this?" he asks. The sound of his voice and the look in his eyes tells me that he already knows._

" _It's a pin," I answer._

_He nods and says, "I see that, but tell me, what does it do?"_

_Nervous but determined to be honest, I reply, "It allows me to call on Hermes if I ever need something or someone to talk to."_

_A brief flash of what looks to be anger floats across my father's face, but it doesn't stay there long. He brings the pin to his lap as he continues to look at it. "Do you honestly feel you need something like this?" he asks._

_I shrug and answer, "I don't know. While I'm on a quest, it might be helpful to reach out to Hermes to get messages back to camp or to Mom."_

_He nods again and then whispers, "Percy, I want you to know that when you talk to me, I do listen. I *always* listen. And, as for why Tyson can visit me, you know…"_

_Immediately, I raise my hand slightly and shake my head to cut him off. It works. "I know," I say to fill the sudden silence. "You don't have to explain. I know you're allowed to see your *other* kids, just not your half-blood."_

_I notice from my peripheral vision—I wasn't looking at him as I spoke—that Dad looks upset. He purses his lips together and then says sternly, "Perseus, look at me."_

_I'm not used to anyone calling me by my full name, so I look at him in surprise without any hesitation. When we stare at each other for a few moments, Dad states firmly, "Don't hate who or what you are. Do not call yourself my half-blood. The truth is you are a true son of the sea god, Percy. That is a fact; it's not a half-truth. You are my son."_

_I find myself smiling and soon Poseidon is looking at me with the same expression, but then suddenly Dad looks around and sighs. "I have to get going," he mumbles. "Your mom will be here soon." He stands up and walks a few feet away from me. Before he disappears, he turns back to me slowly and says, "Remember what I've said, Percy." Before I can respond, my mind goes blank._

The sounds of campers' voices outside my cabin wake me up. Instantly, I become aware of my surroundings and what's happening. Today, I'm going home. I stumble to my feet as my mind immediately rehashes the dream I've just woken from. It was a pleasant dream, yes. In fact, it was too good to be true, and in that instant I know it was probably a manifestation of what I wanted instead of an actual dream from my dad.

Disappointed, I start to get ready for the day. Once I stuff my dirty clothes in my knapsack to keep it separate from my clean clothes, I go to my bedside nightstand to grab Riptide. I slide it into my pocket easily and then when I look back, I realize suddenly that something's missing.

Hermes' pin: it's gone.


	6. Chapter 6

Coming Together Chapter 6

As soon as I discover that Hermes' pin is missing, I start scouring the cabin for it. As far as I know, it's not like Riptide which will reappear in my pocket if and when I lose it. Despite that, I do search my pockets several times during my search. I clear off my nightstand, look behind it, shake out my blankets, and even sweep the entire floor just in case it possibly fell and rolled somewhere. No matter where I look, though, I can't find it. After almost an hour of searching, I now know that I didn't lose it—someone took it. And, that's when I remember my dream...

Dad had the pin in his hand—he even said that I didn't need it. In fact, he looked angry when I told him what the pin could do! The answer was obvious—Dad took it!

An anger that I didn't know I was capable of overwhelmed me. Immediately, I stomp out of the cabin to make my way to the shoreline. I hear someone call my name, but I don't even try to recognize the voice; instead, I reply, "Not now." When I finally make my way to the sound, I stare across the waters and snap, "You took it, didn't you, Dad? You took my pin!" I shake my head angrily as I start to pace and say, "It's bad enough that _you_ won't come to see me, but now you're trying to stop Hermes! _Why_? It's not like you can claim that he'll hurt me; we both know he won't do that, so again _why_? All I've ever wanted was a little attention from you, but we both know you can't give that to me! I understand that; I really do, so why try to sabotage my relationship with your nephew? We're family; he can see me, so why ruin that?" In my haste and anger, without thinking, I pull Riptide out of my pocket. I stare at it briefly as I bobble it back and forth in my hand. Then, I continue, "Well, you know what, Dad? Since you took my pin, you can have this one back, too!"

Instantly, I rear my arm back and then throw Riptide as far as I can into the water. Immediately, I turn around and practically run towards my cabin. I don't check my pockets; I hope the pen hasn't returned. Regardless, I know I've made a statement and I'm glad.

=)=)=)

When I get back to Cabin Three, the first thing I notice is that Annabeth and Grover are sitting on the cabin's steps. Chiron is also there, but he's standing off to the side—he's the first one to address me when I walk up.

"Percy, your mother is here. She's standing outside the barrier waiting for you." After a brief pause, he asks slowly, "What happened earlier? We called for you and…"

I shake my head sadly to stop his interrogation. The anger that I had earlier has already faded away and all I feel now is a dull pain that I don't want to discuss. "It's nothing. It's…nothing." I was going to say it's personal, but I realize that would have been a slap in the face to Annabeth and Grover who have been through so much with me. Because of that, I add, "I might talk about it later. I just…don't want to right now."

Chiron nods understandingly and then whispers, "Percy, even though the gods are not human, they do have human faults and emotions. They can be happy, sad, or jealous. And, they are notorious for making mistakes…" He shakes his head.

I don't know if Chiron knows what's going on, but it doesn't matter. His words do calm me. I breathe deeply and say, "Thank you, Chiron." I look towards my cabin door and continue, "Well, I guess I need to grab my things."

Annabeth and Grover immediately stand and as I approach them, I hear the former say, "We'll help you."

Inside the cabin as I'm grabbing my knapsack and some of the boxes, I look towards my nightstand. I'm hoping that Dad feels bad and that he might have returned my pin, but when I see the bare tabletop, I sigh. I should have known better than that.

Walking outside without another word, I start making my way up Half-Blood Hill.

"Percy," Annabeth says as Grover and she rush to walk beside me with a box in their hands. "Are you okay?"

I nod at my friends and realize I'm being really rude to them this morning, especially considering that they're helping me out and I won't see them for a while. So, finally I speak to them. "Yeah, I'm sorry. Thank you both for helping me."

Grover is staring at me worriedly, but he replies simply, "It's no trouble at all, man."

After several minutes, we finally walk outside the perimeter of camp and I see my mom standing near her car with a bright smile on her face. Almost instantly, I feel even more metaphysical weight leave my shoulders. "Mom," I say.

"Percy," she says as soon as I step to the back of the car and set the boxes I'm carrying into the trunk. Immediately afterwards, Mom engulfs me in a huge hug and I hold her back tightly, swaying back and forth slightly. Gods, I've missed her.

When I pull back, she's grinning widely, but then she shakes herself. "Oh, my! We're in the way. Come, Annabeth, Grover, set those here." We move out of the way and quickly my friends place the boxes they are carrying into the car.

"It's okay, Mrs. Jackson," Annabeth says as she shoves her box back to make room for Grover's. "The boxes were extremely light. I'm surprised Percy used boxes instead of his duffle bags."

I simply shrug. I don't tell them about Hermes. I don't know why I don't—I suppose I just don't want to get into it and explain _why_ we seem to be spending time together.

Soon, Annabeth, Grover, and I say our goodbyes, and then Mom and I are in the car, heading back towards New York. I'm sitting in the passenger seat, staring out at the scenery. Most of the time when I leave camp, I don't have the time to simply look around since I'm usually on a life-changing mission. I know most kids who get picked up from _any_ camp can't say the same thing.

I sigh as I purposely bump the back of my head against my car seat. I stare up at the roof and I hear Mom ask, "Percy, what's wrong?"

That's all anybody seems to be saying to me recently. I know I need to snap out of this depression or whatever funk I'm in right now. Immediately, I sit up straight and try to turn a cheery disposition towards her, but I'm stopped by the feeling of something jabbing me in my side. I move a hand to where my waist and hip meet and immediately I know what it is: Riptide, it's back. I readjust my jeans to get the pen into a more comfortable location. I don't bother sticking my hand inside my pocket to confirm that Hermes' pin isn't there also. I simply turn my attention back to my mom and say, "Nothing, Mom. Sorry. I guess I'm still tired."

Without waiting for her reply, I drift back into my own thoughts: despite the fact that it gave me a release of sorts when I threw Riptide into the sound earlier, I'm glad it's back. After I had been able to calm down earlier, I realized it actually wasn't the smartest decision ever to throw Riptide into the water. After all, that weapon has helped me immensely since discovering who I am. If something had attacked while I didn't have it…well, things definitely would have been a lot harder.

But this realization doesn't mean I've forgiven Dad, not by a long shot.

=)=)=)


	7. Chapter 7

Coming Together Chapter 7

_I'm in a room that I don't recognize, but I know that it could be somewhere in Olympus. The walls are made of white marble and the floors are made of smooth granite. Columns are spread evenly across the room, holding up a massive roof that has pictures of the gods above me. It is beautiful and yet a little unsettling. It's quiet…a little too quiet._

_Suddenly, I hear a loud slam and the sound of various things hitting the floor. I run in the direction of the sound and see an enormous entranceway. Immediately, I go through it and see that I *am* in Olympus, because the furniture in this room are monstrous. Of course, I stop surveying the room as soon as my eyes settle on what had made the earlier noise._

_My dad has Hermes pinned against a table. He has the younger god by the collar of his tunic and he's gritting his teeth as he presses himself against him antagonistically._

" _WHAT is the meaning of this?" Poseidon spat. He reaches into a basket that managed to stay atop the table and brought its contents in front of Hermes. I step into the room to get a closer look and see what Dad is holding. They are UPS pins, a lot of them!_

_Hermes tries to push my dad away from him, but it doesn't work. The Big Three have always been stronger than the other gods. "I don't know what you mean," he finally answers._

" _Did you *think* I wouldn't notice?"_

_The glare that my dad gives Hermes is terrifying and I'm actually afraid that he's going to hurt him! That's when Dad gets a faraway look on his face and then widens his eyes. He searches the room frantically and before I can back out into the hallway, he spots me. He releases Hermes and says, "Percy."_

_A knot settles in my stomach as I force myself not to run away, but part of me wants to sadly._

_Poseidon takes a step in my direction while Hermes straightens himself from the table and looks at me almost gratefully. I don't know if it is to snub my father a little or if it is completely innocent—I truly don't know where the urge is coming from—but I ignore my Dad and ask Hermes, "Are you all right?"_

_I stare directly at Hermes, but I can see that Dad's progress towards me falters for a split second before he presses his lips together tightly and moves to stand before me._

_Hermes steps around to the other side of the table, so he can keep his eyes on me when Poseidon steps in the way. He smiles at me and replies, "Just fine, kid. Thanks."_

" _Anytime," I respond before turning my attention to Dad._

_He's currently kneeling in front of me. "Percy, I'm sorry you had to see that," he begins._

" _I bet you are," I say immediately and I cringe. It sort of flies out of my mouth before I even think to stop it._

_Poseidon sighs and says, "I'm sorry I scared you. I wasn't going to hurt him."_

_That's when I know Dad had felt my anxiety earlier and that's how he figured out that I was here. Even though I'm touched that he was that attuned to me in a moment where he didn't know he had to be, I still question his words. "Then, what were you doing?"_

" _Percy," Dad begins, but his words are cut off by the frightened sound of someone else calling my name. I look around and narrow my eyes in contemplation, trying to figure out what's going on. "It's your mother," Dad mumbles as if answering my internal question. "You need to wake up, son. She's getting a little anxious. We'll talk again."_

It isn't until I feel something wet splash against my face that I open my eyes. I'm still in the car and Mom is leaning towards me with a bottle of water in her hand. "Oh, thank the gods!" she exclaims.

"Mom, what are you doing?" I ask as I sit up and wipe at my face.

"We're here and I couldn't wake you up!" She points towards our apartment and immediately I sigh. It's always hard to wake me while I'm having dreams like those. It's like my consciousness wants to stay to see the scene until its end, and there is no doubt that I wanted to hear Dad's explanation.

When I see that Mom is still looking at me worriedly, I smile for her unsuccessfully and explain, "Sorry, Mom. I was talking to Dad, actually." Mom knows that my dreams are real at times—that's why she's sometimes fearful of them, but I know the fact that my dad was in this one will calm her.

As suspected, I see her relax as she sighs. "Well, next time tell your father to not scare me. Pick a better time."

I grin and don't bother to tell her that it was actually my fault. I had been the one spying on him, even if it had been unconsciously done!

Immediately, I get out of the car and make my way to the trunk. It takes two trips but together, Mom and I get my belongings inside.

"Dinner will be ready in a couple of hours," Mom says before she leaves my room. She knows I like to spend a little time alone to unpack after I get home from camp. It's like I need the time to reflect on everything that I've been though during the summer. This time, though, I'm not really thinking about the Sea of Monsters, Kronos, or Luke. I'm thinking about Hermes and Dad.

Truthfully, I'm a bit confused. "What is going on?" I mumble to myself.

I almost cry out in surprise when I hear Hermes say, "I was wondering the same thing until today."

I jump off my bed and look at the god standing with his back pressed against my door. I say his name in greeting and Hermes smiles. "So," he says, looking around and nodding slightly, "this is your room. I like it."

At first I'm unsure if he's just saying that to be nice, but then I realize that if there were one god that would understand that this actually is a good room (considering that I live in a single parent household), it would be Hermes. He interacts with humans on a far more personal level than any of the other gods. "Thanks," I say as I sit down on the bed. Dropping that topic, though, I go to the one I'm much more interested in. "So, what was going on with you and Dad earlier?"

Hermes shakes his head and replies, "I knew you were going to go there right away." He reaches into his pocket and pulls out another UPS pin. "We didn't really have time to discuss it, but I _think_ he's angry that I gave you one of my pins."

I wrinkle my brow. "Why? Why does he care? It's not like it's anything that can get me into any trouble."

Hermes doesn't answer as he slips his hand back into his pocket. He simply shrugs. "I'm sure Poseidon will find a way to answer that soon enough."

Now, I'm annoyed. "So, why has he been in my dreams recen—"

Immediately, Hermes places a hand over my mouth as he glances up at the ceiling. He then sighs and whispers, "You may not want to talk so loudly about your dad visiting you in your dreams. While everyone knows the Big Three bend their own rules that way by sending messages and clues to their children, they are not supposed to actually show up and talk to you. Zeus would not be happy."

I grimace at his words, because I know they're true.

When Hermes removes his hand, he moves to the middle of the room and says, "I need to get back. I just wanted to make sure you were okay."

When Caduceus appears in his right hand, I call out, "Wait!"

When Hermes arches an eyebrow questioningly, I ask softly, "Are you going to give me another pin? I mean, since Dad took mine?"

Hermes reaches into his pocket and tosses a new one at me lightly. He looks up and says loudly, "He asked for it."

I look up, too, to see if there is anyone up there, but before I can question who he's talking to, he disappears. Before he's completely gone, though, I hear him say, "See you around, Percy."

When I respond, "See ya", Mom walks into the room hurriedly.

"Did you just call me?" she asks nervously.

I lift my brow in amusement. I know she must have heard my yell at Hermes before he left. I'm not sure how she would react to the fact that I had just been talking to a god who was not my dad. Just to calm her, I respond, "Yeah, I did." I know she would get paranoid otherwise. When she sits down and asks what I wanted, I decide I want to tell her…everything.

=)=)=)


	8. Chapter 8

Coming Together Chapter 8

Mom listens to my story without interrupting. When I finally finish, she grabs my right hand and holds it tightly. "Oh, Percy, don't you see? Your father, he's very—oh, what's the right word?—territorial. He always has been." When I simply stare at her, she sighs and continues to explain in a whisper, "As I'm sure you're quite aware, sometimes the gods can be…selfish. That isn't to say that your father is, but he is very passionate about protecting and keeping what he sees as his, just like any of the others. Wars have started because of that desire; you know that better than anyone…and when the thing they are fighting over is a son, well…"

"Fighting over a son?" I ask, suddenly confused. "Who in the world is doing that?"

"Don't sound so surprised! They do it all the time!" she remarks loudly. "I mean, there are different reasons _why_ they fight over or about a son, but it occurs often. Hercules is an example. Zeus and Hera had a time there, didn't they?" She shakes her head and whispers again. "Your father is not going to like you and Hermes getting so close. You're turning to him instead of Poseidon when you need to talk or you need something. He's going to want to stop that, good reasons or not—you are his son, after all."

After Mom is finished with her speech, I stare at her disbelievingly even though I know she's right. Her explanations of my dad's actions make perfect sense, but…"That's not fair!" I cry. I jump off the bed as Mom widens her eyes at my response.

"Percy?" she questions as she reaches her hand for mine again.

I shake my head and start to pace. "Mom, I understand jealousy. Do you know how hard—" My voice breaks off, because I've never admitted this to anyone else aloud, but I want to now. I have to get this out and I hope Dad is listening. "All my life I've been jealous of other kids. Before I knew the truth, I would look at them and wish I had what they had: a father. Now that I know about Poseidon, I'm still jealous but for totally different reasons!" Tears gather in my eyes, but I refuse to let them fall, not yet. "Dad can see his other kids! Do you know how hard it is to know that Dad invited Tyson underwater and not me? Tyson gets to spend the entire school year with Dad! It isn't fair! Did you know that Tyson prayed to him before we met because he was lonely? Dad answered him and sent him to Camp Half-Blood so we could be together! Dad answers right away when Tyson speaks, but he can't with me. Do you know how jealous that makes me? Then, of course, I know about Triton! He gets to see Dad _all_ the time!" I fling my arms in the air and then cry, "And, now you're telling me that Dad is jealous because I'm seemingly getting fatherly attention and advice from elsewhere? Well, he sure is getting his father-son moments from others, so why can't I?"

Instantly, my mom is off the bed and she pulls me to her in a tight hug. She sways me back and forth slowly, but I don't cry even though I want to. Soon, Mom whispers to me, "I know it's not fair. Believe me when I say that Poseidon doesn't like the rules any more than you do. He didn't want to leave us, but he had to. It was for your own protection." She pulls back and cups my cheek. "And, I suspect strongly that he doesn't like staying away, especially at a moment like this."

I nod. I know what Mom is saying is true. I already know all of this. I know Dad has to stay away because of Zeus' laws, which he is forced to follow. War would break out otherwise and with those two going at it, they could possibly destroy everything. Kronos wouldn't have to lift a finger. Despite all of this, I still have to hold my ground. "Dad may not like the idea of Hermes and me socializing on a regular basis, but considering everything I've just said, does he have the right to stop us?"

Mom doesn't answer the question. Instead, she says, "Come help me with dinner, Percy. It'll get your mind off of everything."

I hope it does.

=)=)=)

That night I settle into my bed and feel a lot more at ease. I know it's the familiarity of being home that's lulling me into this peaceful mood. I still haven't wrapped my mind around Dad's hypocrisy, but I choose to ignore it for now. I just want to enjoy being home for the time being. I close my eyes and just at the moment when I find myself finally about to drift off to sleep, I feel my bed dip and someone snuggle close to me. A heavy arm falls on my side to hold me lightly. At first it reminds me Tyson, who sometimes crawls in my bed when he hears distant thunder at camp, but I know it's not him. He's with Dad.

Then, I smell seawater. Before I open my eyes in surprise, I hear his voice: "Don't open your eyes or talk. If you wake, I'll have to leave. You're supposed to be sleeping…"

 _Dad_. He's here! He's breaking Zeus' rules, but he wants to hide it in the guise that I'm sleeping just in case either of his brothers discovers his visit here. It's hard, but I manage to keep my eyes shut. I force myself to breathe evenly and give the appearance of sleep, but all of my senses are wide awake and strumming with life.

Dad tightens his arm around me momentarily and then begins to whisper. Like before with my mom, I find tears rushing to my eyes at his words, but I know I can't let them fall or anyone who might be watching will know that I'm awake. To stop myself, I focus not only on his words but my breathing slowly and evenly.

I don't want this moment to end prematurely; I'm finally spending time with Dad and it's not in my dreams!

=)=)=)


	9. Chapter 9

Coming Together Chapter 9

I can't believe that Dad's here! He's really here! I hate the fact that I can't open my eyes to look at him, and even if I tried to open them slightly, I still wouldn't be able to see him since he's behind me. Regardless, I know this is real, because the smell of seawater in the room is strong and I can feel his arm lying across me. And, of course, I also hear his voice…

"Percy, I heard you and your mother talking earlier. Your mom was right—I don't like staying away and I especially didn't like staying away while you two were talking, but at least I can speak with you now." He clears his throat softly and continues, "I know growing up without a father has been hard on you. I want to make that up to you so desperately, son, but it's hard. There are so many rules and consequences that you're unaware of. Even _this_ is breaking the rules, but I think I can get leniency if Zeus finds out. After all, you are asleep." I feel Dad run his fingers through my hair lightly. "You think this is just a dream."

I know Dad is telling me this to make sure that I always keep up with the lie. I can't run to Mom in the morning and tell her that Dad actually visited. Zeus might be watching and waiting for that kind of an announcement. Sighing but trying to hide that I did it in response to his words, I snuggle into the pillow like I'm trying to get comfortable in my sleep.

I can tell Poseidon leans closer to me, because I feel his breath on my ear. "I heard you say earlier that you were jealous of Tyson and Triton because they get to spend time with me. Percy, I'd give anything in the world for you to see me as much as they do, but I can't. You know that. But I do want you to know something: I'm always watching over you. Just because you can't see me or don't hear me right away, it doesn't mean that I'm not there or that I don't care. I love you, son."

A silence develops in the room and only the weight of his arm tells me that he's still there. Then, softly, he speaks again, "And, as for Hermes, I will admit it: I am jealous. To see him with you, to know that he's able and willing to give you everything that I cannot, it's hard, Percy. Despite that, I want you to know something else. I did not take your pin. I know you believe that; I knew you thought that before you even threw Anaklusmos into the water at camp, but it wasn't me."

Surprised, I almost open my eyes again, but then I squeeze them shut. I want so desperately to question him. Luckily, Dad seems to know what I want to ask.

"I know all the evidence points to the contrary, especially with what happened in your dream that night, but son, I asked you why you needed it. When you said you could use it on quests, I couldn't deny that was a good reason for you to keep it. I didn't like it, but I left it there with you for that reason. Anything I can do to make your quests easier is what I'll do, no matter how much it hurts… Obviously, someone is trying to frame me."

My body tenses again slightly and I want to ask about his earlier actions that very day if what he is saying now is true. And, who would want to frame Poseidon, of all the gods, anyway?

I hear Poseidon sigh and he says, "Earlier, when I walked into the room and saw Hermes with all those pins, I kind of lost it. You are not the only one who has lost one of those pins, son. There are several other Half-Bloods that are complaining about the same thing, and when I saw him with a basket of pins…well, I got angry. It's obvious he's the one who took them back. Why? I don't know, but I assure you that I'm going to find out. I just hate that he set me up. He's made you even angrier at me than you might have been, otherwise. I have enough to make up to you without adding crimes that I haven't even committed." After a brief pause, he whispers even softer, "I hope you believe me, because it's the truth, Percy."

I know I can't respond verbally, so I do the only thing I can. I turn around slowly and yawn as if I'm trying to get comfortable again, and then I snuggle against Dad's chest. I feel Dad's arm tightening around me once more and then his cheek resting on the top of my head. I don't know how long we stay that way since I fall asleep a short time later.

=)=)=)

The next morning, I'm not surprised to find that Poseidon has already left. I do wonder how long he stayed and I'm almost convinced he stayed for most of the night since the room still smells of seawater.

I get out of bed and quickly get ready for the day. I don't really have anywhere to be or anything to do. I still have a few weeks before school starts, and I'm glad to not have a schedule to abide by for a little while. It gives me time to think, after all, and I seriously need to do that…

Dad didn't take my pin. After spending most of my time recently believing that he did, it feels strange to even think that he didn't, much less accept it. Regardless, Dad has never lied to me. He's always been straightforward the few times we've interacted about everything whether it shined him in a positive light or not, so I believe him. I just don't know if I agree with his hypothesis that Hermes was the one who took it. Why would Hermes give it to me only to take it back? Also, why would he then give me another one?

I look on my nightstand beside my bed and see both the pin and Riptide. Both were untouched as far as I can tell, and I know if Dad wanted to take it, he had the opportunity to do so last night easily, especially since he had convinced me to keep my eyes closed the entire time. I take both items off the table and put them in separate pockets and then walk out of my room.

Mom is already in the kitchen cooking breakfast. Oh, I missed this! At camp, they constantly fed us healthy foods, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy eggs, fruits, and vegetables in the morning, but nothing can beat blue pancakes, sausage, eggs, and bacon with a Cherry Coke. I smile gratefully at Mom and say, "Good morning."

=)=)=)


	10. Chapter 10

Coming Together Chapter 10

I step through the window onto the fire escape to stare at the streets far below. Everything seems normal from up here, which makes everything feel so abnormal to me. I lean against the railing and stare up into the sky. I don't know if I should be concerned about just standing out here without my two feet planted firmly on the ground below. I'm on the edge of Zeus' territory. If he wants, if he believes my dad broke the rules last night, he would probably be within his rights to blast me out of existence right now with his Master Bolt.

Briefly, I contemplate if I should speak to him, but then I realize that would be very out-of-character for me, so he would wonder _why_ I was being so careful not to annoy him. He might realize I'm guilty of something, and then he'd try to find out what I had done. No, I couldn't do anything that could possibly lead him to my dad's doorstep. So, if he's going to strike me, he'll just have to do it.

"What are you doing out here, Percy?"

I turn my head slightly and watch as my mom climbs out the window and then leans against the railing beside me. She looks up at the sky and then down at the ground before asking, "Well?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I guess I'm just…restless." Surely, Mom will understand that. I do have ADHD, and even though I am happy to be home, it is driving me a little crazy, because I have absolutely nothing to do. I thought that was a good thing earlier, but now…no, I need something to keep me busy or I'm going to be bouncing off the walls pretty soon.

It isn't until my mom places one of her hands on mine to still it that I realize my hand is tapping the metal bar in front of me rapidly. She pats my hand slowly and after a moment asks, "Do you want to go to Montauk? We could go for a few days, you know, before school starts. At least we'll be close to the water and you can entertain yourself a little better. I know being cooped up in this tiny apartment isn't easy."

I almost tell Mom that I don't want to go and I truly don't. Unfortunately, I don't know why I don't, but the look on her face stops me from saying anything. She always gets excited when she suggests going to Montauk. I know it's because Dad and she spent a lot of time together there. In fact, I'm pretty sure that was where I was conceived even though I don't want to think too much about that. Forcing myself not to sigh, I respond, "Sure. When do you want to go?"

She grins and says, "I have the next few days off work, so how about as soon as we get our bags packed?"

I don't comment about my having just unpacked yesterday. Instead, I nod and immediately step back inside our apartment. I go to my room and grab a duffle bag.

=)=)=)

The drive from Manhattan to Montauk is a little over two and a half hours. Mom and I have made this trip so many times when I was a kid, I think I could close my eyes and still be aware of my surroundings. Of course, that might have something to do with that fact that this little strip of land we're traveling on is surrounded by seawater to the north and south. We're practically driving into the Atlantic, and when I'm out in the ocean, I always know where I am. I can even give you my coordinates on a map. How? I guess it's one of the perks of being a son of Poseidon.

Anyway, we'll be at the cabin in about forty-eight minutes. I know this without even looking at the car's digital clock, because we're currently driving through Southampton. I look at the few expensive houses that I can see well from the road and my thoughts immediately turn to everything my mom has sacrificed over the years for me. Who knows? If my mom hadn't married Gabe to protect me with his pungent odor, she might have been living in a location exactly like this, living in the lap of luxury near the ocean.

Now, I know what most people would say in response to that thought: that's a very unlikely dream. But how do I know that really? My mom is amazing and she _did_ capture the interest of one of the Big Three. AND, not only that, she made one of the said three break a pact to not father any more mortal children. Here I am! If that doesn't tell everyone how special my mom is…well, you get the point. She could have done so much more with her life than she has…

My main regret is the fact that Mom had to live with Gabe all those years because of me. I also hate that she had to be the one to support our family while Gabe rarely worked and acted so entitled. We didn't have much, but what we did have, it came from Mom's hard work and sweat.

And, that thought made me pause for a moment…

We've always gone to Montauk. I never thought about it as a child, but I know vacations there are expensive. Renting a cabin costs a lot and yet Mom had always been able to find a way to pay for it and make reservations, even at the last minute like this. I stare at Mom and she must have felt it, because she turns to me briefly before settling her eyes back on the road.

"Percy?" she questions.

I stare at her a little more before I inquire carefully, "Mom, how did you make reservations at the last minute? And, how are we going to pay for it? You're saving up for college tuition. We probably shouldn't have come…"

Mom interrupts and says, "Don't worry about it. This trip isn't coming out of my savings."

I stare at her a moment longer before I turn my head and stare out the window. I know Mom's probably lying. She always sacrifices and hides the truth from me. I know that well.

Her sudden sigh grabs my attention and she says, "Your father owns the cabin in Montauk, Percy. I never told you when you were child because I knew you would have questions." She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a key that I immediately recognize. It's to the cabin. "I never check-in when I stop by the rental office. I buy a drink and come back to the car."

I don't know how to take the news. While I understand why it was done, it's still a little unsettling to learn that my mom has lied to me about multiple things my entire life. I wonder if there are any more secrets that I'll find out in years to come. Not really knowing how to respond, I simply turn my head back to the right, stare out the window, and comment a bit softly, "Cool. I'm glad this trip isn't coming out of your college funds."

=)=)=)

I suspect that the cabin looks the same way it always has since I was a kid, but now that I know it belongs to Poseidon, I'm looking at it in a whole new light. The fishing poles, the sea equipment mounted in the room, and the pictures of a sunny afternoon overlooking the beach suddenly don't seem so touristy. Instead, it's so very… _Dad._

Mom is currently at the nearby grocery store buying a few food essentials for the next couple of days, so I have the time to really look around and take everything in. Now that I know the truth about this place, I can see that it actually reminds me a lot of my cabin at camp. I don't know why I never realized it before…

"I don't know. The Mist can still work on demigods in small capacities, you know."

I'm so used to the voice now that his sudden presence doesn't even startle me. I merely turn and look at him.

"Hey," I say, greeting my guest calmly.

Hermes smiles and looks around the cabin, taking it in slowly, much like the first time he had when he appeared in my bedroom at home. He then sits in a nearby chair as I take a seat on the couch. Apparently, it's time for us to chat again. "I like your room at the apartment better," he mumbles unexpectedly.

I don't know why he makes this observation, so I merely shrug and reply, "It's all right. This isn't supposed to be a permanent home. It's good for what it is." Hermes looks around quickly one more time, but before he can make any more comments, I say what's really on my mind since he's here and I have his undivided attention. "Hermes…I'm glad you're here. I actually wanted to ask you about something I've heard." I pause for a moment when I notice that the god actually looks a little wary. Because of that, I rush through what I have to say, so he won't suddenly decide to stop me. "I was told recently that there are other half-bloods who had a pin like mine and that theirs are now missing…"

Instantly, Hermes sighs and interrupts, "I'm sure your father is the one who told you that."

I ignore the comment and ask, "Is it true? Was my pin not the only one taken?"

Hermes stands and walks around the room, shaking his head slightly. When he finally turns to face me, his eyes fairly glow at me. I'm taken a little aback. "No, yours wasn't."

His answer immediately sends little tingles down my spine. It's almost like its revving my ADHD into full gear. As my leg starts bouncing, I know what I want to do and I have two weeks to do it: I have to help Hermes find whoever stole his pins. When I open my mouth to make the offer, Hermes surprises me.

"But, Percy, that was a little different." He rolls his eyes and states a little more angrily, "I'm sure your father has already told you that I'm the one who took those pins back."

I nod and reply, "Yes, he told me what he suspects, but I know you didn't do it. It wouldn't make sense for you to take them back when you gave it to us for a reason…"

Hermes flops back into his chair and pinches the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger. "Percy," he says almost sadly. "I came here so I wouldn't _have_ to think about that, but now…" He sighs and then admits, "The truth is that I did take those pins back, but you have to believe me—I didn't take yours!"

Almost immediately, I hear thunder rumble outside and when I glance through the window I see the sky darkening, the ocean churning…and if my eyes are not mistaken, I believe I see something huge in the water at a distance coming closer and closer.

I take a sharp intake of breath when I realize what it is. It's my dad! He's coming here in broad daylight while I'm here and awake!

I turn to Hermes when I realize that might not be such a good thing for him. In fact, he's probably the reason Poseidon is coming.


	11. Chapter 11

Coming Together Chapter 11

"Σκατά!"

I never heard the word before, but from its tone and Hermes' expression, I know what it means. He isn't happy about Poseidon coming here at all.

Hermes leans over the windowsill and sucks in his breath in a low hiss. He then turns toward me and says softly, "This isn't going to be good."

At that moment, the back door flies open and an intense amount of wind bursts into the room. The few papers that are resting on a nearby table blow into our faces and the picture frames on the wall begin to swing or fall to the floor. Thunder starts booming overhead so intensely that it feels like the earth below us is trembling and that's when I remember that it very well could be. My dad isn't just the God of the Seas; he's also the Stormbringer and the Earthshaker.

"DAD!" I yell over the chaos. The noise around me is so loud that I can barely hear myself, but I think he hears me. As I look out the window, I can see that Dad has made it to the beach. He's standing in his full form, which is twenty feet high, but after I yell, I notice that his body dissolves into water and suddenly, he's the size of a normal human male. Of course, that and his sudden change of clothes are the only things that look human at that moment. His eyes are blazing brightly in a mixture of sea green and blue, and they're focused solely on this cabin.

I turn to Hermes and say, "Uh, you might want to get out of here."

The god takes a deep breath and shakes his head before replying, "What's the point? He'll just follow me."

Before I can respond, Poseidon walks through the open door and his eyes immediately fall on Hermes. "You dare step into one of my homes AGAIN to talk to my son and spread your lies," he snaps. Within seconds, he's across the room and in front of Hermes. He grabs him by the collar of his jacket—Hermes is wearing his charcoal suit again—and spats, "I warned you!"

Poseidon lifts his fist like he's going to punch him, but suddenly a light flashes so brightly that I have to cover my eyes with my hands. When I'm able to see again, I notice Hermes is across the room holding Caduceus.

I widen my eyes when Dad wipes at his for a second and then yells, "You cannot outrun me forever!"

"Actually, I can! I am the God of Athletes, after all!" Hermes hunches like he's waiting to see which way Dad is going to go to attack him. It actually reminds me of a football posture, and I'm shocked to see two gods acting this way, especially Poseidon.

"Dad," I say, trying to get his attention.

He doesn't look at me. Instead, he snaps, "Not now, Percy." He then smirks at his nephew and states happily, "You may be able to run quickly, Hermes, but you can't if there's nothing under your feet!" Immediately, the ground starts shaking and I hear the floorboards of the house starting to creak. He's going to tear the house and the ground beneath it apart!

I run in front of Hermes and yell, "Dad, no! You're going to destroy the cabin! Mom would be devastated and you might kill me in the process!" I know it's a low blow to use myself as a means to stop Poseidon, but I have no other choice and it works almost instantly.

"Percy," Dad says, reaching out a hand towards me, "come to me. You're safer over here."

I know he wants to get me away from Hermes so he can continue his attack, but I stay in place and reply, "Not until you agree that you won't harm Hermes."

"Percy," he begins, but I won't let him finish his thought.

"I'm not moving, otherwise! And, besides, Mom is going to be back any second and I doubt she wants to witness two gods fighting in the middle of the living room with me here!"

Dad lifts his head slightly and states coldly, "This is his fault! He chose to ignore my wishes, and he has disrespected me far too many times recently to get away with it!"

Unfortunately, Hermes does not stay quiet. "How have I disrespected you? I haven't done a thing to you!"

The glare that Dad shoots him would scare even the toughest of villains. It certainly frightens me. "Haven't done a thing?" he repeats sarcastically. He points to me and says, "You know what you're doing! You're trying to steal my son!"

"Why in the world would I do that and _how_ can I do that? He knows he's the 'son of Poseidon'!" Hermes quotes my title with his fingers and says it so mockingly that I'm surprised Dad doesn't resume attacking him again.

Dad wrinkles his face in contempt, but before he can reply, I say, "Dad, promise on the River Styx that you won't attack Hermes! If you do, we can relax and talk about this sensibly. We'll discover the truth together!"

There is a moment of deep tension. Hermes and Poseidon stare at each other, both clearly irate with the other. For a brief second, I think that a truce is going to be impossible with these two, but Dad surprises me.

"I won't attack for now," he agrees reluctantly and then turns his attention back to Hermes. He waves his hand to the middle of the floor and commands, "Finish telling Percy what you were going to say. Tell him how you took _everyone_ _else_ 's pin but his. Please continue."

It's obvious Dad believes this to be a lie. I have to admit Hermes claims do seem a little farfetched. I now know other half-bloods are missing pins and I know Hermes is the one who took them. And, yet, he's here claiming he didn't take mine…Out of everyone who lost a pin, only mine was taken by someone else? I can't really blame Dad for his assumption on that part, at least.

Regardless, I look at Hermes and wait for him to continue his story. I'm surprised but happy when Dad steps directly behind me and places both of his hands on my shoulders. He pulls me closer to him slightly. Whether he's preparing to protect me if something should happen or making a statement of ownership to Hermes, I'm not sure, but I decide I don't really care. I'm just going to enjoy his presence while I'm allowed to.

I freeze.

But, I'm not allowed to! Dad's not supposed to be here! What if Zeus finds out?

"Uh, Dad?" I question.

Poseidon looks down at me as I turn my head slightly to peer up at him. He merely states, "Let's listen to Hermes and then we'll talk, my son. I want you to hear what my dear nephew has to say and then you'll realize why I know he's a liar."

Hermes lifts his nose somewhat obnoxiously as he straightens his suit and glares at my dad. He then looks at me and explains calmly, " _Like_ I was saying earlier, I didn't take your pin, Percy. The truth is someone stole a large number of my pins recently and gave them out. At first, I didn't know it had even occurred until campers started using them excessively. Initially, I thought a few people, whom I actually had given pins to, gave them away for whatever reason, but when I noticed many calling on me all at once in great quantities, I realized someone had purposely taken pins from my warehouse and passed them out. I hated to do it since I know some of those kids have no one else, but even _I_ wasn't fast enough to keep up with the calls, so I took them back! But _I_ gave you yours, Percy, so I didn't take it back. I promise that's the truth."

My instincts tell me to believe Hermes. He looks just as sincere as my dad did when he was telling his story.

I look back at Dad's face to gauge his reaction and I see that he's still glaring at Hermes. "Do you really expect us to believe that—that someone broke into your warehouse and stole a large quantity of pins without you knowing it?"

Hermes grits his teeth and retorts, "That's exactly what happened, just like someone stole Zeus' Master Bolt and framed Percy! If that can happen, this can, too, _Uncle_! And, for all I know, _you_ could have been the one to set all of this up! You didn't like that I gave a pin to Percy and that he actually liked the gift and called on me! Admit it, you're jealous and all of this is just to get even!"

Poseidon practically snarls at Hermes as he moves me to the side. A sharp glance tells me Dad expects me to keep still beside him. "What? You're blaming me now?" he questions Hermes angrily. He then shakes his head. "Now that you know we're on to you, you're trying to make my son doubt me! It's not going to work! He knows I wouldn't do something like that! He…"

"Ha!" Hermes exclaims. "How does he know that? Aren't you the guy that desecrated Athena's chapel with Medusa? Hmm, and hey, aren't you the guy who did something to Caeneus…What was it that you did?"

Almost immediately, Poseidon widens his eyes and turns to me rapidly. I can tell he is trying to determine if I know what Hermes is talking about. I assume he can tell that I don't, because he then turns back to Hermes and springs to him in a blink of an eye. He grabs Hermes by the throat and yells, "You dare bring that up in front of _my_ _son_? You know that story was not told accurately and that's not what happened! This only proves that you're guilty and grasping at anything you can to make Percy believe you instead of me!"

Dad tightens his hold on Hermes and the god actually coughs. I don't know if Dad can actually kill him or not, but I don't want to wait around to find out. Quickly, I run to them and grab Dad's arm. "Dad, let him go! You promised not to attack him!"

Just as Dad turns his head to undoubtedly order me to step away, I hear a door close and suddenly Mom's voice fills the room.

"WHAT IN THE WORLD IS GOING ON HERE?"

All of us—even Hermes—snap our heads to look at Mom. Her expression looks as terrifying as Dad's had earlier! She sets the grocery bags on a nearby table and places her hands on her hips. "Well, Poseidon?" she questions loudly.

I'm surprised to see that Dad now looks a little embarrassed…or was it worried?

=)=)=)


	12. Chapter 12

Coming Together Chapter 12

Poseidon immediately lets go of Hermes after straightening and turning him to face Mom.

"Sally," Dad greets as he slips an arm around my shoulders and grins nervously. Yep, he is definitely embarrassed.

Mom doesn't reply. Instead, she continues to hold her hands on her hips and glare at him. "I'm waiting, Poseidon." When she starts tapping her foot, I notice that Dad runs his fingers through his jet black hair and I'm surprised. He's nervous, too!

I look back at Mom and see a mountain of strength rolling off of her in waves. It would have to in order to intimidate not one but two gods and one demigod.

"Mom," I begin to try to ease the tension in the room.

Mom's eyes move to mine only temporarily. "I wasn't talking to you, Percy," she says shortly. "I want to hear this from your father."

Poseidon glances at the other god beside me before saying, "Hermes is lying to Percy, Sally. He's trying to drive a wedge between us and I won't stand for it." Dad steps forward and holds both arms out to his sides rigidly. "He's trying to win Percy's favor and I…" He trails off.

I notice my mom's expression softens momentarily, but then she shakes her head and questions, "And, your grand solution is to come here and act like an ass?"

It seems like I'm not the only one who's never heard Mom use such language. Not only do I widen my eyes, so does Dad and Hermes.

Mom is on a roll, though, and keeps going. "In the past when I read some of the Greek Mythology, I actually questioned whether all of it was true. I mean, some of the situations the Gods concerned themselves with were downright petty and foolish! I was so sure there had to be more to it than what those books told, but looking at _this_ situation tells me that maybe it _is_ true! Apparently, you Gods are just as dimwitted as the myths say you are!"

"Mom!" I cry, trying to stop her. I don't think Dad or Hermes will attack Mom for her words, but maybe Zeus is listening and I wouldn't put it past him! I run to her side and ask softly, "Do you really think you should be saying that right now?"

Sally looks back at Poseidon and sighs. "Why can't the Gods ever talk instead of threatening war and destroying everything in sight when they have a problem? Percy told me about this business with the pin. Really, Poseidon?"

Poseidon looks thoroughly chastised, which surprises me more than I can say. He turns to Hermes and asks, "Can you leave? I want to talk to them about this alone."

For a moment, I think Hermes is going to refuse, but then Mom interrupts. "I think that's a great idea."

Whatever he was going to say dies on his lips and he nods before saying, "If that's what you want." He looks at me and winks. "See you around, Percy."

I don't say anything back. I just turn my head away as he disappears in a bright light.

When I'm alone with my parents, we just stand there for several seconds before Mom questions, "What did you want to say? We're alone now."

Dad looks at me briefly before meeting Mom's intense gaze. I am curious to hear what he has to say, too, and I don't have to wait very long. "I don't want to lose Percy," he begins softly. "He's just gotten to know me. He accepts me as his father and I know…" His voice breaks and he quickly clears his throat to continue, "I know he's noticing that Hermes is being much more of a father to him than I've ever been and I can't bear it."

My eyes widen. While a part of me knew this was probably the case (and I remember I almost did think that to myself at one point), I'm shocked to hear my father confirm it aloud.

Poseidon meets my eyes and says, "I know I'm not the father you always wanted and I know we don't get to spend as much time together as we both wish we could, but I'm selfish. I don't want you to replace me." He then squeezes his eyes shut for a moment and then insists, "But that's not all this is! Hermes really is lying! I know it!"

"How can you be so sure?" Sally questions gently. "Zeus believed wholeheartedly that Percy stole his lightning bolt and look how wrong he was. This is where the gods go wrong constantly. All of you react immediately instead of waiting to discover the truth. Hermes may be trying to develop a stronger relationship with Percy, but he doesn't get to see his kids either. Maybe this is his way of coping. Have you tried to talk to him about it instead of yelling at him?"

Dad turns around and shakes his head. He brings a hand to his face and I hear him say weakly, "That won't change how I feel. Percy is my only demigod son. Hermes has many. And, he has so many others who are not his children in his cabin that he can see if he wants. Why choose my son to grow close to? There's more to this, Sally, and I don't want Percy to get hurt emotionally or physically." He turns around and I can see a redness in his eyes that wasn't there before.

I want to run and hug him, but I'm nervous about actually doing it. We've only hugged once in my dreams. And, yes, he threw an arm over me when he stayed the night with me at our apartment in New York, but that doesn't really count. We were alone and our actions were hidden behind the veil of my supposedly being asleep. I don't know how he would feel about hugging now while we're both awake and really here, so instead, I try to reassure him verbally. "Hermes will never replace you. You're my dad. And, I seriously don't believe Hermes would hurt me in any way. I think he's telling the truth about the pin."

Dad immediately shakes his head and flaps his hands wildly at his side. It's almost like he's saying to Mom, " _See_!"

Refusing to doubt myself, I step closer to him and announce firmly, "I think someone is trying to set both you and Hermes up, Dad, and I think it's time we found out who."

Dad stares at me for several seconds before he finally smiles. He opens his mouth to say something when suddenly a loud crash of thunder booms outside the cabin. I'm fearful that this storm is from Zeus instead of my father and my worries are confirmed when Dad looks up and then sighs.

"I have to go to Olympus," he mumbles. He places a hand on my shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze before looking at my mom once more. He nods at her and says her name again.

When he disappears, I can't help but sit down on the couch and replay everything that just occurred. I don't know how long I'm consumed by my thoughts, but when I finally snap out of it, I turn towards the kitchen and announce, "Mom, I need to call Annabeth. Can I use your cell phone?" We both know it's not a good idea for demigods to use cellphones—it's like sending up a flare to announce to every monster in a hundred miles that I'm here—but I need to take this risk. There's something I just have to ask her…

=)=)=)


	13. Chapter 13

_Sorry that I haven't updated in a while. A lot of things have been going on. In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter! Oh, and just to warn you, this does reference something that was discussed in Rick Riordan's "Greek Gods". I was going to write about it before that book came out, but it's good that it's now canon, so it won't throw people for too much of a loop, haha._

Coming Together Chapter 13

Mom agreed to take me ten miles out of town. That's where we are now, on a small highway that's traveled mainly by tourists.

I know this isn't far enough away from where we're staying to stop monsters from finding me if they notice I'm in the area after I make this phone call, but at least they won't know my exact location right away. It makes ambushes all the more difficult for them, and I don't want to endanger Mom any more than I have to, but I need to do this…I have to know what they were talking about.

I don't tell Mom what I'm doing exactly. She might already know the answers to what I have to ask Annabeth about, but in case she doesn't, I don't want to be the one to inform her, since I suspect that it might hurt her. I don't even know why _I_ 'm pursuing this! It could very well hurt me, too, and it isn't like I don't have enough to worry about with Luke, Kronos, and whoever is trying to set Dad and Hermes up! I just want to know.

Taking a deep breath, I walk off towards a small park in the distance, away from the car. I sit down on a picnic table and dial the familiar number. Despite the danger of cell phones and being a Wise Girl, Annabeth has one. No one has ever tried to stop her. It seems to be a consensus that the benefits of the Daughter of Athena having one and being able to contact her easily outweigh the negatives.

Annabeth answers after a few short rings and sounds a little breathless. "H-Hello?"

"Annabeth?" I question hesitantly at the sound. "You okay?"

"Percy?" she says. I can hear her fumbling with something. When she speaks again, she sounds normal. "Yeah, I'm fine. I was just unpacking. As much as you and I travel on quests, who knew moving to Manhattan would be so exhausting?"

I smile. Despite my being in Montauk at this minute and knowing I probably won't see her much this school term, I'm glad she'll be nearby this year. If something horrible happens in New York, we would be able to get to one another quickly. It is a comfort.

Instead of jumping into why I've called her, I continue this discussion, so I can ease into what I really want. "I wouldn't know," I reply. "I've lived in the same place as far back as I can remember."

I expect her to make some kind of smart comment or jibe, but she doesn't. Instead, she says, "Okay, Seaweed Brain, you know as well as I do that it's risky business to call me. What's going on?"

I should have known she would figure out that _something_ was wrong since I called her. Because of that, I smile briefly before jumping into it. "So, you know a lot about the gods, right? I mean, their myths and stuff?"

I can hear Annabeth's hesitation. I can almost see her arching her eyebrow in my mind. "Yes, it's wise to know these things…"

I can tell she's trying to figure out why this is suddenly so important to me. We've had plenty of opportunities to talk about this very topic many times at camp, and yet we never took advantage of it. I know she has to be questioning why now. Deciding to get to the point so she doesn't ask, I question abruptly, "Who is Caenis?"

The gasp that suddenly travels across the phone tells me that the inquiry has shocked her and that can't be good. "Why do you want know?" she asks softly.

Pursing my lips for a moment determinedly, I say, "Someone mentioned her to me today and I got the distinct impression that my dad doesn't want me to know anything about it. I don't really have the time to explain. I just…knew if anyone could tell me, it would be you."

Annabeth sighs and mumbles, "Percy, maybe it's better that you didn't…"

"I need to know," I insist, interrupting her, despite being scared of why she doesn't want to tell me.

I hear her sigh one more time before she answers. "There are multiple versions of the story. The most popular is that Caenis was a woman who was transformed into a man by your dad."

"What?" I gasp. I can hardly believe my ears. "Why would he do such a thing?"

"She wanted it. Supposedly, he felt so sorry for her that he granted her wish."

I look towards my mom who is leaning against the hood of her car and watching me. I can see that she's worried even from this distance. Looking away, I ask, "Why wouldn't he want me to know about this? I mean, yes, it does seem to be a bit odd, but with all the other things the gods have done in the past, this doesn't seem to be that big of a deal."

I can hear her stumbling over her words before she finally states firmly, "Percy, in this version of the story, your dad is the reason why she wanted to be a male."

"Why?

The long silence that comes after this question alarms me more than anything else in this conversation. "Annabeth?"

Her voice is almost a whisper, but I still hear her. "Remember this is just one version of the story, so there are others. In this one, Poseidon was enamored by Caenis. Unfortunately, she didn't want anything to do with him, so…he raped her. Afterward, Caenis begged him to turn her into a male, so she would never have to live through anything like that again. Poseidon did as she asked and Caenis became Caeneus."

I don't know what to say, but I suddenly see why Dad was so angry that Hermes brought it up. What father would want his son to know he did such a thing? I close my eyes and shake my head. "Do you think it's true?" I ask after running that same question through my own mind several times.

"I…I don't know. It's possible. The gods are known for…taking what they want. And, this isn't the only story about Poseidon raping someone. Supposedly, he raped Demeter, too." After almost a minute of deafening silence, Annabeth mumbles, "I'm sorry, Percy."

I shake my head and mutter back, "Uh, yeah. Um, thanks for telling me…Bye." I hang up the phone, despite hearing Annabeth's protests.

I still don't know what to think. Admittedly, I don't know my dad all that well, but it's hard to imagine him doing these things to anyone. I look back at Mom and I know without a doubt that he never hurt her. Walking back to Mom sadly, I hand her the phone. "Let's go back to the cabin." I don't meet her eyes. Instead, I stare at my feet.

"Is everything okay, Percy?"

I hear her concern, but I can't reassure her while I'm still contemplating everything, so I merely shrug and answer honestly, "I don't know, Mom. I just don't know." This news has made me question everything I thought I knew with certainty. If Dad is capable of rape, he is capable of lying to me and even if he's not lying to me about taking my pin, does that really matter anymore? I don't know the answer to that question either…

=)=)=)

_Now, at this point, I'm not saying whether Poseidon did or didn't do any of this. Like I said, the business with Demeter was brought up in "Greek Gods", so it's fair game and another hiccup in the relationship of Percy and Poseidon for them to work through. I just hope everyone doesn't mind since I know it could be a little controversial. Just trust me, please, LOL._


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm really sorry I haven't updated this story before now. The only excuse I have is school started up again and now that it's summer, I have more time, so I can pick it back up and finish it. Hopefully, some of you out there are still interested in the story. Please let me know! Thanks!

Coming Together Chapter 14

I feel like I should be angry. I feel like I should be screaming from the rooftops since I know Poseidon is currently in Olympus, but I can't. My mind and my body is overwhelmed with a strange numbness that leaves me staring blankly through the windshield as Mom drives us back to the cabin.

"Percy, talk to me," I hear Mom plead. She's been trying to get me to talk to her ever since we left the park, but all I've been able to manage are grunts and a few mumbled "I'm fines". This time I want to ignore her completely, but I know if I don't give her some kind of sign that I'm alive, she's going to freak. Before I can utter any kind of reply, I feel and hear the car squealing to an abrupt stop as she slams on the brake.

I quickly bring my attention to the here and now and watch as my mom puts the car in park in the middle of the street and shifts in her seat to face me. "Percy, you are going to tell me what is going on right now or so help me…"

I don't want her to finish her threat, because I know whatever it is, she'll do it. The question is "What do I tell her?" Mom already knows about the situation with Hermes' pins. I'm sure she's even come to the same conclusion that I have, that someone is purposely using me and those pins to start problems for Poseidon _and_ Hermes. It's actually quite obvious even though the " _who"_ behind all of this mess is not. Regardless, I know I cannot offer this as a reason as to why I'm suddenly a walking zombie. Frankly, she'll know that particular situation simply isn't big enough to cause such a reaction since I've been handling all of this and much worse until now.

I look at her and start to answer with I know not what when suddenly I hear a horn blow behind us. Sighing in relief, I say, "Mom, you have to keep going. We're blocking traffic."

Mom purses her lips determinedly and declares, "Not until I know what has you so upset." She rolls down her window and waves for the person behind us to go around. When the car does, she looks back at me and waits.

Dropping my gaze to my lap, I begin moving my fingers against one another nervously. I don't know what to say.

"The truth," I hear Mom announce determinedly and I realize I must have said my last thought aloud.

I lift my head slowly and stare at her for several seconds before I ask almost timidly, "What kind of guy was Dad when you met him? Was he…nice? Or, did he have this—I don't know—dark side that scared you?"

Mom cocks her head to the side and wrinkles her brow thoroughly. "Where is this coming from?" she questions.

I shake my head for a moment and then turn my attention away, looking out the window beside me until I hear her speak.

"Just like I always told you when you were a kid, your dad was amazing."

I look back at Mom and she smiles brightly. She then puts the car back into gear and starts driving again. Regardless of her actions, she doesn't stop talking. "He was everything any woman could want in a man: he was considerate, compassionate, and loving. He genuinely seemed to care about people, and especially me." Her smile suddenly turns a little sad. "I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with him, so, no, I never saw anything from your father that gave me pause." She suddenly slips her hand from the steering wheel to squeeze mine. "And, I still haven't." She glances at me briefly before turning her attention back to the road. "Are you upset about what you saw earlier? I know it had to be a shock to see your father and another god fighting like that. After all, they're not the monsters that you and the other demigods fight, and Poseidon and Hermes are supposedly two of the 'good gods', right? I suppose their actions and behavior could leave you confused and a little nervous about them both."

Mom has unknowingly given me the out I need to end this conversation or at least to misdirect her and I'm going to take it. Besides, it does have a little truth to it and connects to the real questions I have floating in my mind now. "I can't help but wonder if Dad really is a good guy," I admit. "What if he's not?"

Mom pulls in front of our cabin finally and turns off the engine.

" _Perfecting timing_ ," I think.

She turns to face me again and states resolutely, "He is, Percy. Don't doubt it. His earlier actions may have seemed questionable, but don't forget where it all stems from: his love for you. And, I know the way the gods handle things is a little barbaric…" She laughs at this, almost sarcastically, "…but that doesn't make him evil."

I want to ask her so badly if she knows about Demeter and Caenis. I'm sure bringing them into the conversation would change the discussion so much! But I'm also convinced since my mom has such faith in Dad that she must not know about these tales, and I don't want to be the one to tell her, especially since I can tell she still has some feelings for him. Why destroy the delusion, especially when I don't know if it really is one?

Instead, I simply hug her and mumble, "Thanks, Mom."

"Anytime, baby," she whispers, hugging me back and running a few of her fingers through my hair softly.

When we get out of the car, Mom immediately heads to the cabin to straighten up all of the chaos Poseidon and Hermes left in their wake. I know I should offer to help, but instead I head to the beach. When I get there, I look around and when I see no one paying any particular attention to me, I step into the water and keep walking until I'm completely submerged. I suddenly feel calmer and I take a deep relaxing breath even though I'm underwater. I then lay back in the sand and decide that I'm going to talk to Dad even though I know he's probably still in Olympus talking with Zeus. Regardless, I hope he hears me.

=)=)=)


End file.
